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Baykeeper's Bay-Safe Industry Campaign

Curbing Industrial Storm Water Pollution in San Francisco Bay

More than 1,300 industrial facilities discharge polluted rainy-season runoff into storm drains that lead to San Francisco Bay, or sometimes directly into creeks or the Bay itself. Industrial runoff typically contains high concentrations of pollutants such as toxic metals and petroleum hydrocarbons. These contaminants place a heavy burden on the Bay’s fish and other animals. For example, salmon exposed to copper pollution lose their senses of smell and their ability to find their spawning streams or evade predators. Nickel is lethal to birds.

Recent data shows that while 95% of Bay Area industrial facilities have violated the Clean Water Act in recent years, underfunded California regulatory agencies annually inspect and require improvements at fewer than 5% of all industrial facilities in the region.

Legal Action to Clean Up Industrial Storm Water Pollution

Under the Clean Water Act, industrial facilities are required to implement controls to limit the flow of chemicals to local waterways. Baykeeper is investigating violations of the Clean Water Act, suing polluters and securing legally-binding settlements to control the contamination. Our settlements require facilities to employ measures such as placing covers over exposed work sites; positioning absorbent barriers to collect runoff from work areas; and installing storm water treatment systems on site. Read more about our successful legal action to clean up industrial runoff pollution in the Bay.